The present invention relates to an assembly for joining two profiled rails, more particularly of a shower partition; the first profiled rail having an opening extending essentially over its entire length and an inner space or chamber. Mounted in this inner chamber is a clamping element having a threaded hole into which a screw is threaded, the second profiled rail being adapted to be secured, in relation to the first profiled rail, by tightening the screw.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,129 describes an assembly for joining profiled rails in which the inner chamber and the opening, extending in the longitudinal direction in the first profiled rail, form an undercut longitudinal groove. The clamping element must be inserted into the longitudinal groove from an end face of the profiled rail. An angle piece is connected to the second profiled rail by means of screws and is mounted in a cavity therein. The clamping element and angle piece are connected together by means of screws. The outer surfaces of the profiled rails are butted together. Production of this joint requires a considerable amount of labour, since the individual components must be assembled consecutively and bolted together. Subsequent alignment of the profiled rails requires considerable effort since the whole assembly must first be practically dismantled.
German OS No. 2,556,396 describes a joint fitting for furniture which is in the form of a hollow body comprising chambers for the accommodation of nuts for bolts, the joint fitting being made in two parts and the nuts being placed in the chambers prior to assembly. The parts to be coupled by means of the joint fitting are provided with recesses into which the bolts are inserted. Both the joint fitting and the pieces of furniture comprise matching holes for the bolts. The pieces of furniture and the joint fitting are in specific alignment with each other, which makes subsequent alteration or adjustment impossible.
German OS No. 1,654,766 describes a frame or box skeleton the sections of which are coupled by means of separate angle pieces, bolts, nuts and clamping elements. The angle pieces and sections have matching holes through which the bolts are passed. Once the holes have been made in the sections, subsequent movement or alignment thereof is possible only if new holes are made.
Where profiled rails are to be coupled, there is a greater demand today than heretofore for simple and functional handling. This applies in particular to so-called extension or compensating sections which must be provided to compensate for tolerances arising at the construction site when a component is incorporated, for example a shower partition, a window frame or a door frame. It was hitherto considered sufficient to drill a hole subsequently in one of the profiled rails to be joined, at the required location, and then to use a bolt or the like to make the joint. In practice, this raises problems, some of them major, since drilling, sawing, filling etc., during assembly, are costly and time-consuming. Moreover, incorrect drilling, or the slipping of a drill, may damage the profiled rail as a whole, and the best position is often found by the assembler only after several tests, and this creates considerable additional work.